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Monday, 23 May 2016

I Take Antidepressants (and That's Fine)

I take anti-depressants. I've had them for nearly three months now, depending when this post goes up. This isn't the first time I've taken them, I went into some detail in a previous video about needing them in 2012. I'm not writing this to make you feel sorry for me - I honestly feel better than ever. I'm writing this because I don't see a lot of people talk about it, and I thought that I would, to let you all know that it's completley fine if it's something you need to do.I know that there are also people reading this who think that antidepressants are wrong in some way, and that Depression is "just who you are", or you that can "choose to be happy". For those people, I will talk about another very common, long-term illness I happen to have, called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, otherwise known as PCOS. It can't be cured, but I can manage some of the symptoms with medication. No one bats an eyelid when I take medication for my physical illness, so why is it so tabboo to talk about medication for mental health problems? Why is it seen as a bad thing, as a sign of weakness? I can't choose to not have PCOS, just like I can't choose to be happy. My mood is not my decision. That's not because I'm not trying hard enough, it's just the way it is.When I released my April video earlier in the month, a lot of people in the comments said that I seem much happier than in the previous months. You're right, I am. But nothing's changed, apart from being given medication. I won't lie, there are side effects - just like with any medicine - and not everyone is going to have the same experience as me. Medication isn't always a miracle cure. But it's not as scary as you think it is, either, and it doesn't make you a failure.I want my channel and blog to be a place where people can talk openly about mental health without fear of judgement. If you have any questions or want to talk about your experiences in the comments, please do so, or feel free to email me.If you would like to know more about my mental health history, I have a Mental Health playlist on my YouTube channel.